Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard complained this week about judges releasing accused murderers on bond, after one allegedly shot a second victim in the face. He listed 45 defendants and wanted to know how they could return to the streets while awaiting trial. But jail records show four of the defendants are not accused of murder. A few others remain locked up. And the man responsible for releasing two of the suspects was … Paul Howard.

Two years ago, a Fulton County sheriff’s lieutenant almost lost his job for pocketing a civilian’s knife, then lying about it. Department rules say dismissal is the minimum penalty for lying, but Sheriff Myron Freeman let Lt. Earl Glenn stay with a 30-day unpaid suspension. Today, Glenn admitted that he repeatedly struck a jail inmate last year and lied when the FBI asked about it. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine.

Maj. Pearlene Williams, chief of staff for Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington, is under investigation in DeKalb County, where her son has been serving time for a 2007 pawn shop killing. Court records show the DeKalb district attorney opened a file Wednesday on an allegation that Williams violated her oath of office, a felony, after the DeKalb sheriff forwarded an investigative report. Neither office would discuss the case. But, a spokesman cautioned, “She hasn’t been charged. She hasn’t been indicted.”